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Dazai Osamu was a mystery to any and all who meet him.
From a young age, the brunet was an enigma, capable of manipulating anything and anyone to do as he pleased, follow his schemes or entertain himself with silly plans coming to fruition on the expense of others. His sharp mind made him hard to predict or read and as he grew older, he got a better handle of hiding his already subdued emotions until only a few special people in the world could tell what he really feels.
The man learned to control his body in frightening ways, build masks upon masks to hide his true self behind, creating a new one for each new situation he encountered. He absorbed knowledge and information like a sponge and could both perfectly remember and perfectly comprehend everything he learns. His mind was frighteningly prodigal; he was capable of doing practically anything he puts his mind to. What's more, he was extremely dexterous, capable of learning new things to do with his body in a short time and easily teaching his muscles to memorize certain movements. His natural sense of balance was unparalleled, his agility too graceful for someone who often acted too silly, his senses attuned to every shift in his environment to the point he almost matched an apex predator.
Within him hid a darkness that came more from a void than wickedness, though he was plenty capable of it when he desired. He was born for leadership, able to both charm and intimidate, strategies as natural to him as breathing, both capable of valuing and seeing no value in human life. He feared nothing, he longed for death, he loved annoying people yet he never wished to actually inconvenience them.
He'd draw in a few select people and treasure them close to his chest while also pushing them away.
He was the most controlled weapon on any battlefield, yet no one actually ever had true control of him.
He was just a lost boy in the eyes of Natsume Soseki when he first met him, before even Mori Ougai had found him and slowly crowned him with the title of Demon Prodigy.
He ran into him by accident, really, this slip of a child with its fluffy chocolate brown hair and huge eyes that changed color depending on lighting, going from golden whiskey to blood red to brown sapphire to pitch black, yet so empty and apathetic that Natsume had had to pause to make sure he was, indeed, seeing a child and not one of the West's androids. The boy couldn't have been older than eight, dressed in well made clothes that made it clear he was from a well-off family. He'd even had a caretaker slash bodyguard with him when he and Natsume first locked eyes.
Now, a child looking at a - pretty cute, if he may say so himself - cat isn't out of the ordinary, but meeting its eyes like one would a human? That was. Natsume was amused at first, flicking his tail to see if the kid's attention would waver. It didn't.
Instead, the child nodded to him respectfully before he let himself be whisked away by the adults in charge of him.
Now, Natsume had never been so intrigued in his life and he'd just relatively recently created the strongest duo to protect Yokohama. Mori Ougai and Fukuzawa Yukichi were certainly interesting individuals, but there was something about this child that made him want to stick around and see what may become of him.
It was easier said than done, of course. For all the access his cat form allowed him and for all the reach his reputation gave him, it was still near impossible to find the child that may or may not have seen through his Ability. Not to mention that he had other things to deal with in the meantime, from Mori and Fukuzawa's bad break-up - even if it was simply a partnership and not a romantic relationship despite the potential there - to the Armed Detective Agency's infancy to rumors of spies and gods from Suribachi still circulating the streets despite a year having passed. He didn't really get all that many chances to search into that peculiar child.
But as destiny would have it, he'd meet him many times again.
When he was ten and his family was slaughtered in their own manor by assassins sent by a rivaling company group. The child, whose name he had yet to learn, was the only survivor and watched with a strange apathy as policemen, forensics and medical personnel piled bodies upon bodies into their cars as they cleared out the massacre in the big house, staff and employers alike. Natsume took on the case personally, on the boy's behalf, and made sure the assassins as well as their contractors faced justice.
By the time they were all sentenced to a life long penalty, a year later, the eleven year old boy faced another threat from distant family members fighting for his inheritance. Natsume hates to say he foiled more than a dozen attempts at the boy's life per month and he hates to say that the boy seemed to be aware of and thwarted even more. That, too, lasted for a year before the boy simply ran away.
He didn't seem to have a destination in mind. He learned to live on the streets and developed incredible pick-pocketing and lock-picking skills to get food, shelter, water and clothes. He even got himself reading materials from time to time or just spent his nights in a library or school. It was there that Natsume saw how easily the child absorbed information.
Natsume helped, of course, wherever he could, having the child follow him to easier places to access food or even towards people who really did deserve to get pick-pocketed by a thirteen year old little genius.
In all that time, the child did not speak directly to him, though he did continue acknowledging him as a creature of higher intellect than some random street animal. Natsume still didn't know just how much that perceptive child had figured out, but the boy liked to give him sardines or other treats that both humans and cats liked so he didn't complain, nor did he pry further.
It was when the boy was fourteen that he first acknowledged him.
Mori had already sank his claws into him, claiming him as his witness to the 'Boss' Will' and all but keeping him locked in a 'tower' like Goldilocks. (Rapunzel, Dazai would correct him.) He also finally learned the name of the child, or what he preferred to go by as now.
Dazai Osamu, a peculiar, intelligent child with a gaze that unnerved even Mori and saw through even Natsume's disguise, as was proven when, upon one of his check ups on the boy, the little brunet turned to him, inclined his head and simply said "Sensei". It seems that Mori had talked about him recently, as well as Fukuzawa, no doubt, and it had been enough for that brilliant young mind to put the pieces together.
What a frightening man this boy will turn into, he can't help but think.
He can't help but be intrigued and excited by such a prospect.
After all, he'd seen great potential in Mori, too.
Dazai, however, is like a blank slate, like raw, wet clay ready to have the world imprint on him, form and reform him as many times as he needs it. Turns out, over the years, that's exactly what will happen; Dazai will adapt, create more or less shallow or temporary masks that would let him fit in where he needs, how he needs. A fascinating ability, almost as fascinating as his actual Ability, No Longer Human.
Natsume rarely is around to see its wonders; the first time he sees its splendor is when the boy is fifteen, recently acquainted with the King of the Sheep, a Silver Oracle in his hand and the first Mafia mission underway, the past coming back to haunt both Mori and Nakahara Chuuya. Natsume is there to see both instances in those twenty four hours that Dazai uses his Ability, the first time much less impressive than the second, when an entire warehouse lit up in blueish-white light, nullifying one f the most powerful Abilities Natsume has seen in a while.
It was a powerful Ability, No Longer Human, but what intrigued Natsume more about that day was the teamwork of Dazai and Nakahara. He can see why Mori forced them to work together; this was going to be the new generation protecting Yokohama.
But more than their teamwork, from then on, Natsume saw a completely different side to Dazai, one that suddenly started caring a little bit about living, about humans, about actually being a child and not just a human-shaped weapon. He was good for Nakahara, too, who was allowed to not be a leader and instead received instruction from Dazai more often than not. Their bond was a fascinating one to watch as it grew and developed, as Dazai came to treasure the redhead more and as Nakahara learned to trust him. There was something perfect in those two standing side by side, it was fascinating.
Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, Dazai changed. He became an Executive, had a stable partnership and even made friends. Natsume had been surprised by finding out another 'project' of his ended up befriending young Dazai. Oda Sakunosuke was one of the rare truly good people Natsume had had the pleasure of meeting; there was not a single truly rotten bone in the man's body, despite his past profession as an assassin. Dazai seemed just as fascinated by him and dragged him into the Mafia, where he'd at least have some protection, a stable income and a rank low enough that he didn't need to kill. A few months later, Dazai made friends with Sakaguchi Ango, too. Natsume wasn't very comfortable with that, if he was honest.
Dazai's trust was more precious than the best diamonds. He reserved it for a very rare few people and Ango was lucky to receive it, but he will betray it simply for being affiliated with the government as his true place of loyalty.
Natsume's heart constricted in something akin to grief when, mere weeks after Dazai declared Ango one of his friends, he caught on that Dazai had known from the beginning and had yet accepted Ango, anyways. Dazai had wanted to be around someone he considered as good so much that he was ready to set himself up for heartbreak regardless.
Natsume monitored all of their little trips to Bar Lupin. He waited with Dazai for the opportune moment to spend time with the teen's friends. Dazai talked to him, sometimes. Other times, he'd just have the barkeeper bring out milk and serve it with sardines. Then he'd listen to the conversations, would watch Dazai Osamu act like a child and not the youngest Port Mafia Executive in history. He'd watch the Demon Prodigy be left at the door just so they could all have lighthearted conversation and mess around.
He sometimes followed Dazai around when he was with Nakahara, but those times, outside of missions, felt even more intimate and personal than the nights at the bar, so he usually left as soon as he realized nothing business related was happening. Besides, Dazai usually ignored the calico cat he knew wasn't just a mere cat that followed him around and has been doing so for years when he's around the gravity manipulator on missions; however, when Soukoku was simply Osamu and Chuuya, he'd meet the cat's eyes for a long moment. It did not take a genius to get the message, or to be one half of Soukoku. So Natsume let them be.
Besides, he found enough entertainment from the boy in the bar, anyways, with Oda Sakunosuke there as well.
The night Dazai requested Ango take all of their pictures, to commemorate their friendship, Natsume felt sassy enough to jump into all the pictures but the one featuring all three friends together. Instead, he made sure the picture got taken right, watching from behind the camera and wondering what Dazai knew that had him insisting on this memorial piece being made exactly that night and not any before.
He never did find out. The next time he ventured into Lupin, a few weeks later, it was with the knowledge that Oda was over two months dead and that Ango had returned to his rightful place in the government.
That night, Osamu still came in.
He looked different. Like a butterfly that had just left its cocoon. The physical representations of the shackles of darkness binding him to the Mafia were gone, replaced with a tan coat and much more casual clothes, yet he still appeared professional. He even wore some color, in the form of a bolo tie with a blue gem that reminded Natsume of two sets of eyes from Dazai's favorite redheads, depending on how the light hit it.
It was a mask, as everything with this young man was, but it was a fitting one for what he intended to do.
Dazai sat down in his usual spot, ordered his usual drink and one for Oda. He placed a flower on the rim, toasted by himself, took a sip.
He then turned to Natsume and for once, he didn't beat around the bush.
"I know who and what you actually are. Natsume Soseki, the so-called most powerful Ability user in Yokohama. Utter bullshit, I say. Chuuya could crush you without lifting a finger, if he knew who to target, that is. But that's what makes you so dangerous, isn't it? No one suspects a cat to be spying on their every word, every waking moment, every conversation, every meeting. Just like you've been doing to me for the past however many years. Constantly since I was fourteen and five months old, I believe? You can stop hiding now. I feel silly having such an important conversation with a creature most of the world thinks is dumber than they are."
Natsume saw no point in hiding himself anymore. He transformed and took his usual seat at the bar. Dazai glares at him, since it's also the seat he'd usually free up for Oda, and the look is much more chilling when it's directed right at you instead of just observing it from the sidelines. Natsume doesn't let it unsettle him, instead giving the other a friendly smirk. He is careful not to disturb the glass bought in Oda's memory. "I must say, it is a pleasure to officially meet you, Dazai Osamu. I've suspected that you knew my true form for quite a while, but I never thought you'd find out my actual identity. Color me impressed!"
Dazai lessened his glare and just shrugged, for now content that the drink wasn't disturbed. "It was more challenging than things I usually do, but hardly the most so," he said as he threw a side glance at the older male. "You cover your tracks more professionally than even demon Fyodor does."
"But not good enough, I suppose."
"No, I suppose not," the brunet replied, reaching into his coat and taking out something, placing it on the bar top between them.
Natsume felt his blood turn to ice when he saw it. White, hard covers, pristine and almost glowing. Thick, high quality pages. Power radiated from every millimeter of its surface. Yet a single touch of a bandaged hand reduced it to nothing special. Just a book, like any other, only empty of any writing. At the moment, at least.
"How?" Natsume demanded but he didn't have it in him to be angry, only cautious. He'd been protecting the Book for many years, had taken steps to keep Yokohama protected because he'd predicted many would come and try to find it. He'd made sure none could succeed. Not even geniuses that rivaled Dazai like Shibusawa and Dostoevsky had managed to get their hands on the materialized Ability. If Dazai could find it ... Then how many others could do it, too?
"Hmm ... It was easier than I thought it would be, all things considered. The hardest part, actually, was avoiding Port Mafia envoys sent out to look for me to keep up the 'traitor' allegations Mori-san is selling. I imagine it would have been harder with Chuuya around; the Chibi really is like a dog, he can always track me down when no one else can. But he's been sent out of the country again; Mori-san probably doesn't want a chance meeting between us that would shake Chuuya's loyalty to the Mafia. The hatrack has always had a soft spot for children and he knows all too well what it feels like to lose friends ... If he knew what Mori-san was willing to do to his right hand man for the sake of his own goals, he wouldn't be able to stomach what that might mean for him, Ane-san or even Verlaine, despite their still very rocky relationship. This gave me more room to maneuver. You see, I applied to one day soon work for the Armed Detective Agency; I'm sure you're very familiar with it, basically being its founder alongside the Silver Wolf. But I need to lay low for two years to get my records scrubbed so I can walk around as a free man without being arrested on the spot. And two years is such a long time~ I figured I'd entertain myself and do something no one else could, before. So I decided to find the Book. And I've decided to give it a try."
Natsume tensed at that, turning to eye Dazai fully with a dangerous glint in his own eyes, challenging the Demon Prodigy right then and there. "And what do you intend to use the Book for? It can't bring back the dead, I'll warn you right now. Not the way you'd want it, anyway. Besides, this artifact is extremely dangerous; are you sure you are responsible enough to deal with the consequences of using this much power?"
The brunet, however, waved him off. "I have no intentions of bringing Odasaku back into this wretched, oxidizing world of a dream, not when it's treated him so harshly for no particular reason." The second half was said so harshly Natsume actually recoiled. He'd never heard Dazai take on any other tone than impassive, pleasantly polite or mildly (terrifyingly) threatening. The young man had always held a calm, controlled disposition, his voice never really rising. Even his orders were more soft spoken than any other commands Natsume had ever heard, even in the middle of a live, chaotic battlefield. The instances of Dazai yelling were already so rare that this was like spotting a unicorn in comparison.
"What do you intend to do, then?"
"Create a world where Odasaku can be happy and at peace, where he can write his novel and publish it, where he can spend his entire life without having ever needed to kill, where he can raise his kids and be the good man he is. No matter the cost," the last was mumbled in a miserable way and Natsume dreaded the 'costs' Dazai's brilliant mind had measured up. "As for handling the power of the Book ... Well, is there anyone better for the job?" He asked with an ironic smile.
And he was right.
Who better than the man able to nullify any Ability he came in touch with.
And clearly No Longer Human didn't directly destroy the Book just by coming in contact with it; Dazai only took away its invincibility. He'd have to suffer quite the injury while making sure the Book was destroyed.
Natsume may have just found himself an accomplice in protecting the Book from the world and the world from the Book. He even had a last measure of safety now in place and clearly, if Dazai was able to find the Book, he'd be able to hide it better than Natsume, too. He considered the young man and he considered his options. Killing him to protect the Book would be not only pointless but an extreme waste. Dazai was still so young and clearly set on changing his ways, even though he intended to be selfish(?) one last time for the sake of his friend. He was intelligent enough to not fuck up even if the Book was left in his care and he wouldn't be drawn to the Book's call because he was the only one who would be able to naturally resist it.
And he'd never been power hungry or ambitious; his promotions and successes came because he liked to compete with his partner just to annoy Nakahara and he was just naturally an overachiever.
Yes, Dazai Osamu might just be the perfect person to leave the care of the Book to. Oda might hate him for doing this to the teen, if they ever met in an afterlife that may or may not exist, but Natsume can live - Ha! - with that. As long as the Book can't do damage to the world, any means necessary are on the table and excusable.
"I have only one condition before I agree to let you take the Book," he began and refrained from teaching the young man a lesson on underestimating his potential opponents when Dazai looked darkly amused at the premise that Natsume could decide whether he would 'let' him do anything. Natsume had to admit, though, that he himself was a hypocrite for even thinking as much, because he, better than anyone else but Nakahara Chuuya, was aware that this young man's lanky body hid more strength than the world knew. "Two, actually."
Dazai arched an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You must protect the Book, hide it so no one else may use it, after you are satisfied with the world you've created."
Dazai nodded at that. "Sounds reasonable. I would have done that, anyways. I imagine that writing in the Book again would just destroy the world one would create within it and I can't have that happening when I create a good world for Odasaku."
Natsume nodded, though he himself wasn't sure if that was how it would work. Because, after all, this was the first time the Book would be used for such a thing, so he had no frame of reference. No one had tried to create a separate world for a single person, a dear friend lost too soon. "Glad that we're on the same page, then."
The younger man threw him an amused look at the pun. "And the other condition?"
Natsume grinned, a flare of excitement he hadn't felt since he first requested a young man to write something interesting coming back to life within him.
"I want to read your story when you finish it."
00000
Four years passed in the blink of an eye and the lanky child he'd once known was no longer a child, though just as lanky and just as secretly strong as ever. His brilliant mind was now used not for killing and crime, but rather solving such. Dazai had even grown a little into the mask he'd crafted to belong to the Agency. Little by little, he was becoming a better person than who he used to be. Little by little, he started to genuinely care.
Or so Natsume hoped. If he was being honest, one can never tell with Dazai Osamu. The man may as well be fooling himself that he cared in order to care at all. But it was something that worked and his contributions to the Armed Detective Agency couldn't be ignored.
Especially after he saved the young weretiger and then later helped broker for an alliance with the Port Mafia, saved the young unfortunate murderess of thirty five people, helped save Yokohama from the Guild, then again from Shibusawa's obsession and Dostoevsky's schemes and then yet again from Dostoevsky, finalizing a lasting truce between the Agency and the Mafia in the process. Natsume was extremely proud of the boy for that one; he'd fared much better in that little war than anyone else despite being shot. Even better than Natsume's own students, who'd also sought a solution in killing each other.
Dazai had found a solution in cooperation and had orchestrated Dostoevsky's arrest with the help of the new Guild as a boost to the Agency's and the Mafia's forces. He'd saved Yokohama, saved the Tripartite system, had protected the Book and had defeated the enemy, all the while creating a stronger alliance between all parties involved. Needless to say, Natsume was glad he'd chosen Dazai first when he had to approach someone to spread information and stop his idiotic students from creating more of a rift and more problems than there already were in the city.
Dazai's contributions no longer being able to left overlooked would also ensure that the brunet won't be as easily kidnapped in the future. He's sure that he, the young man's students and, of course, his partner would be the most grateful for that new development. It was too tiring to worry about someone who always had a plan, anyways.
Still, Natsume would be extremely grateful if people would stop stabbing or shooting his young friend and accomplice.
It made Dazai look like death warmed over, but he was a stubborn fool who would push himself even when he knew he should just be resting. Case and point, despite being 'lazy', Dazai had shown up for work at the Agency and acted as he usually would. Natsume observed from a window in his cat form as the brunet cracked jokes, played harmless pranks, listened to music and just did things as he usually would. But there was a certain twinge of pain every now and then breaking his usually impenetrable mask, which was just further proof of how spent and tired the former Demon Prodigy was.
But Dazai wouldn't take a day off. He could never stop working, even when others thought he was just slacking off somewhere, he was always doing something for the Agency, the city, the Book or his partner, since they reconciled properly after the second Shibusawa incident. It was wearing him down, especially after being injured so badly in practically the same spot in such a short time. Honestly, Dazai should probably still be in the hospital or at least going to regular doctor's check ups but Natsume knew he was expecting too much in that regard.
Still, seeing Dazai still looking a little bit like death warmed over just a week or so after Dostoevsky was put behind bars and no one doing anything about it made something unpleasant churn in his stomach.
Making up his mind, Natsume jumped down onto the street and started his search. It didn't take him more than an hour to find who he was looking for. After all, no matter how vertically challenged the man may be, Nakahara Chuuya was rather hard to miss, with his hair color, piercing eyes and the expensive clothing he wore. Natsume was just in luck that he seemed to be taking a nap or something on a park bench, completely relaxed and enjoying the pleasant weather. He almost felt bad for messing with him, but this was necessary and he knew Nakahara would appreciate being in the know that his partner wasn't exactly right as rain as he would like others to believe. And if anyone could make Dazai take care of himself or simply do it for him, it was the ginger Executive.
So, without further ado, Natsume jumped up onto the backrest of the bench next to Nakahara's head, prompting the man to look at him. "Hah? A cat? You sure seem damn friendly, huh?" Natsume made sure to look him dead in the eye before he snatched the hat's rim with his mouth and pulled it right off the man's head. "HUH!?" Natsume broke into the fastest sprint he's ever performed on four legs, running back towards the Agency. He was just lucky Nakahara seemed struck dumb from shock for just long enough for Natsume to get out of the park. Then he heard the telltale sign of being chased. Thankfully, Nakahara didn't seem interested in using his Ability to chase a cat, therefore with his headstart and the shortcuts only a cat could make, Natsume made it back to the Agency with lots of time to spare before Nakahara tracked him down.
He jumped back onto the window of the Agency on the fourth floor just to see that Dazai had settled down on his desk for a 'nap'. In fact, he looked like he might actually fall asleep right then and there, further convincing Natsume it had been a good idea to fetch the gravity manipulator. Especially since that was most definitely not a good or comfortable position for his still healing wound.
"Eh? Who let a cat in?" Is the question that greets Natsume's ears when he's halfway over to Dazai's desk and Tanizaki Junichirou spots him.
"Oh! Isn't that Haruno-san's cat, Mi-chan?" His sister asks and cooes at Natsume, trying to tempt him closer for pets and cuddles. And while Natsume occasionally indulges Haruno when the young woman is too stressed because of something, he usually prefers not being treated like a cat. One of the reasons he'd loved hanging around Lupin, in fact, since Dazai always made sure he was treated with respect and never given any cat food, but instead fresh meat and fish or milk.
"How did it get in here, though?" Nakajima Atsushi asked as half the Agency immediately gathered around the feline but Natsume ignored them. He had a limited time to alert Dazai that his partner would be arriving so he can get ready to leave. Ain't no way Nakahara would let him loiter around here when he's still recovering.
"Oh, look what a fancy hat it's found!" The freckled blond boy with super strength said and Edogawa Ranpo choked on his rumane as he tripped over himself to see for himself that, indeed, this random cat that just walked in had a fedora in its possession.
"SHACHOU!" Was his immediate reaction and Natsume just rolled his eyes at them all before he finished his trek to his destination, easily jumping up onto Dazai's desk and depositing the hat in front of him with a very specific meow that he knew Dazai would recognize immediately.
As expected, those honey brown eyes opened, for once looking the most normal, human hue they can, sleepy and slightly unfocused instead of the dangerously sharp edge of the Demon Prodigy always peeking through. For a moment, he looked again like that lost child Natsume had first caught a glimpse of before full awareness bled back in and Dazai Osamu gave him a small smile.
"Sensei, whatever are you doing here, hm?"
Natsume carefully pushed Nakahara's hat closer to Dazai until it bumped against his forehead, careful to remove his paw before the actual contact for fear of No Longer Human springing to life from Dazai's skin and revealing his true form to the Agency. Not that he'd mind, but he'd still it rather be on his own terms, rather than a dumb accident.
Dazai's eyes focused on the hat and clarity immediately downed on him, but that was the moment that Natsume's time ran out, as none other than Nakahara burst through the Agency's door at that exact second. "Give me back my hat, you dumb feline, oi!"
"Chuuya~!" Dazai immediately greeted, springing up from the desk to beam at the ginger. It was like just the sight of his partner had him healed. Or like he didn't want Nakahara to know he was injured at all. "What are you doing here? Did you miss your master so much that you came for some attention, like a good doggy?"
Nakahara's attention, which had furiously been focused on Natsume, sprang to Dazai and whatever retort he was about to throw back came to a screeching halt before leaving his mouth. Instead, blue eyes scanned the brunet from head to toe, focusing on his paler than usual face, before the ginger scowled. "Oi, are you injured or sick or something, mackerel? You look like shit!"
"Eh? Did your hat finally devour the last few brain cells you had? It seems that Sensei even agreed with me because he took your hat because what is the Chibi even talking about~?" Natsume fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was hard, so hard, not to do so anyways. He'd seen them bantering this way one too many times before Dazai would meet his eye in the silent signal to leave them be because that was something personal to Soukoku.
"I knew that cat looked familiar. Should've known it was your stalker from back in the day," Nakahara commented, either ignoring or oblivious to the stares he was getting from those who heard him. Natsume had to arch his kitty eyebrow at that, because he hadn't been aware Nakahara had taken note of his loitering around Dazai. "Only that cat would be dumb enough to take my hat."
Natsume had to give a protesting meow at that, to which Dazai snorted; the little traitor was even snickering at him! Natsume sent him an unimpressed look, too, but Dazai just reached over and took Nakahara's hat, plopping it down on his own head.
"Sensei is actually very intelligent company so don't go trying to insult your superiors, slug~"
"Oi, stop trying to distract me, damn it! You didn't answer my question, you bandaged scoundrel!" Nakahara yelled as he stomped over to the younger genius of the Agency, snatching his hat back and putting it in its rightful place. Not once did his eyes stray from the seated brunet, even when he no doubt registered the instinctive shift onto the defensive the rest of the Agency - sans Izumi Kyouka and Edogawa Ranpo, of course - took at his aggressive approach. "I know I've heard over the grapevine that you've been shot, but you kept a tight lid on the rumors, mostly, so I couldn't discern just how bad the wound was. So tell me right now, fucker, unless you want me to conduct a thorough check up here and now?" Nakahara threatened with an arched eyebrow, cocked hip and crossed arms over his chest.
Dazai, the little shit, rolled his eyes at his partner. "It wasn't even anything lethal! All my vital organs were missed, because demon Fyodor just wanted to get me to the sidelines, not kill me, and it only hurts. It's not like I'm dying or anything."
"MOTHERFUCKER!" The Executive exclaimed, lunging for the brunet. Natsume just had enough time to avoid being caught in between them as the shorter male practically tore off his young friend's vest and shirt to get to the wound. Dazai yelping and complaining about his clothes was hushed with promises of the same models with better quality materials that won't irritate his skin. "Now shut the fuck up and let me see."
"It's really not that bad. I change the bandages regularly and there's no infection," Dazai complained but allowed the other to check for himself. Natsume jumped back up onto the desk so he can check for himself, too, and was satisfied to see that Dazai was right and the wound was, indeed, just irritated from him constantly moving about instead of resting like he should. He seems to have removed the stitches on time, too, and was using ointments to stem off possible infections.
A normal person, even an Ability user, wouldn't have known to do all this as precisely as Dazai had without previous training. But if anyone were to look at the rest of the clean scars over his torso, they would be able to conclude that this was hardly the first time Dazai had to look after such wounds by himself.
"See, Chibi? Everything's fine," Dazai said, going for teasing but coming out much gentler than he'd usually speak.
Nakahara said nothing, instead reaching into one of Dazai's pockets and taking out a clean roll of bandages. Within seconds, he was skillfully re-wrapping the man's torso, concentrating more on the wound, in silence. A bubble of peace and intimacy settled over them, both in their own special little world to the point they forgot the rest of the Agency even existed, let alone that they were watching them with arched eyebrows, gawking mouths or bulging eyeballs.
Their serenity only shattered when Fukuzawa walked into the room, unnerved by the sudden silence after the bang and yelling from earlier. "What is going on here?" His silver eyes scanned the office before landing on Soukoku and, beside them, the unassuming calico cat. He blinked in shock and immediately started shuffling closer. "Natsume-sensei? What-"
"I'm taking this bastard home for the day," Nakahara interrupted, having finished with the bandages and buttoning up Dazai's coat to cover him in place of the clothes he'd ruined until they can be replaced, before turning to glare at the President of the Armed Detective Agency, daring him to oppose. "No, for the week, damn it! I did not keep this stinky fish alive for 3+ years only for you lot to let him die on your watch! And this is the second time! This is you Agency fuckers' last warning! If he gets stab-poisoned, shot or anything else again in the remainder of the year, you'll find out what it feels like to be crushed by gravity!" Quite a few of the Agency members opened their mouths to protest at that, but Nakahara wasn't taking anyone's shit and simply hauled Dazai into his arms like he weighed nothing and marched right out the door without a single glance back.
"Uh, rude," commented Edogawa but he waved off Nakajima and Izumi when they made to follow and retrieve the other genius. "Nah, Dazai's fine. Better than fine. I've been wondering when he'll collapse or something."
"And you didn't tell me anything because?" Yosano Akiko, Mori's horrendous treatment of her being one of the main reasons Zenki Soukoku fell apart so spectacularly, asked with a dangerous tone and a challenging arched eyebrow.
The master detective just shrugged. "Mr Fancy Hat would have sniffed it out eventually and he's the only one left who could make Dazai rest, so I just let things take their natural progression. No need to interfere at all!"
"Natsume-sensei, what are you doing here? Is something wrong? Is Yokohama in danger?" Fukuzawa asked, completely ignoring the discussion happening between his wards or the rest of the Agency's worry for Dazai after Edogawa assured them he'd be fine. Natsume would be insulted on Soukoku's part - because where one went, the other followed, even in being offended or having someone be offended for them - if he didn't know already Nakahara was the best bet at getting Dazai to properly rest. But the Agency has always been a bit too dismissive towards Dazai and that was something Natsume will have Fukuzawa work on with his employees. After all, Dazai is crucial to not only the Agency's safety and truce with the Mafia and the Division, but also for the safety of Yokohama, and, of course, the Book.
"I assure you, oh dumb pupil of mine, that I wouldn't have reached out to you, first, had that been the case," he said casually and slightly teasingly as he, with a flash, took on his true form, still sitting on Dazai's desk. The startled screams of everyone in the Agency, even including Edogawa's surprised grunt, was music to his ears. "But no, everything is absolutely fine, or as fine as things can be in a city like Yokohama. I was just making sure my young acquaintance got the rest he desperately needed after one too many dangerous wounds in such a short time."
"I see. You're right, of course, but may I know how do you even know Dazai?" Fukuzawa questioned and it was a perfectly reasonable question from Fukuzawa's standpoint, not having realized Natsume had ever paid attention to anyone other than him and Mori. Hell, even Mori was unaware that his precious Demon Prodigy had found a new mentor in someone else.
Though, whether anyone could truly be classified as Dazai Osamu's mentor was a whole other can of worms that Natsume wasn't sure he wanted to try and deal with. After all, the boy had managed to find the Book by himself in a matter of weeks whereas others have searched for years with far more manpower and yet with no results whatsoever and he'd been able to create a stable universe within it. Mori had polished his mind to the perfect weapon it was spectacularly and Nakahara had helped polish him into an even stronger, more brilliant diamond than before as a diamond himself. The more one observed Dazai Osamu the more they became aware there was, indeed, very little one can teach him and in those areas he does need help and teaching, he had his favorite redheads already on the job, even if one was fulfilling it from beyond the grave.
"Let's just say," Natsume began with a small, private smile. "That, once upon a time, not so far away, not so long ago, a cat and a demon met eyes and, not too long after, a cat, a demon and an assassin walked into a bar. You could say it was the beginning of a very peculiar tale, my dear Fukuzawa. One which ensured Yokohama's safety beyond anything else."
After all, those nights in Bar Lupin ensured that Dazai Osamu does not become simply the weapon Mori Ougai wanted him to be for the Port Mafia. It ensured he'd never get so bored that he'd genuinely team up with the likes of Shibusawa Tetsuhiko or Fyodor Dostoevsky. It ensured that he wouldn't become the next Mori Ougai, as cruel as that may sound to his former student. It ensured that, when Dazai inevitably found the Book even without the original initiative he had, he wouldn't use it to potentially destabilize their own world or any other. It ensured that the Demon Prodigy's many skills were being used for good today instead of for murder and crime. It ensured that he was a bit more in touch with his emotions, which helped him help people and reconcile with those he'd wronged. It's what helped make Soukoku even stronger and what's helping him nurse Shin Soukoku into worthy successors of the title of Yokohama's protectors.
It ensured Dazai Osamu wanted to live just a tiny bit longer than he did before with each passing day and Natsume couldn't be more grateful for that.
Fukuzawa looked frustrated as he glared at his mentor's smile. "Can't you not be cryptic for one minute, Natsume-sensei?"
'How odd. Dazai never had a problem with it,' he thought to himself humorously and had to repress a snort. "I'm afraid that's beyond me, my boy. Now, I think it's time I trained this Agency to deal with Dazai Osamu level of emergencies. You're all clearly really bad at it since you've managed to let him get seriously injured two times in as many months and kidnapped just as many times in around that same time. Even the Port Mafia was better at keeping their Demon Prodigy in check and he used to be constantly put in danger," Natsume said with a shake of his head.
Edogawa narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying you could do a better job, neko-san?"
"Not as good as Nakahara, I'm afraid, but definitely better than you lot or that brat Mori. After all, Dazai at least listens to me." And he was rather proud of that little fact.
After all, Dazai doesn't respect just anybody, not to that extent, and his trust is even worse off, like a cat injured and betrayed one too many times.
But cats were incredible creatures and he's not even saying this just because he's biased.
After all, cat's can tame even demons, supposedly.
(Natsume's just not going to challenge a god for Dazai's most trusted accomplice title.
Nakahara can keep that.)
OWARI